Multiple convenience outlet



Sept- 1967 E. R. CARLSON 3,343,117

MULTIPLE CONVENIENCE OUTLET Filed-Oct. so, 1964 1 1 .1 2 I ht United States Patent Ofiice 3,343,117 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 3,343,117 MULTIPLE CONVENIENCE OUTLET Ernest R. Carlson, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to Harvey Hubbell, Incorporated, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Oct. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 407,749 9 Claims. (Cl. 33914) This invention relates to an electrical receptacle and, more particularly, to a multiple convenience outlet. One of the most familiar types of electrical outlets in common use is the duplex outlet, which is adapted to receive a pair of attachment plugs. Duplex outlets of this type are commonly available for both standard two-wire systems and for three-wire grounding systems. Outlets of the latter type include a third grounding opening adjacent each set of parallel slots for insertion of the grounding prong of a three-prong attachment cap.

One of the most obvious deficiencies of prior art duplex outlets is that they will receive only two attachment caps. The user, however, may often require service for more than two electrical appliances. Accordingly, cube taps are often employed to increase the capacity of the outlet. While this accomplishes the immediate objective of providing electrical power, it also results in an unsightly and unsafe tangle of wires at the outlet location. It is, of course, desirable that any approach to the alleviation of this problem utilize the existing Wiring system of a building so as to avoid expensive rewiring of old installations or radical modification and redesign of new installations. A number of approaches have been attempted in an effort to allow the servicing of several attachment plugs from a single outlet. One, for example, is disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,017,601, of Benander, which issued Jan. 16,

196-2. The Benander device discloses an outlet which resembles a standard duplex outlet but has provision for the insertion of four attachment plugs. Two plugs are insert- 'able in each of the oval-shaped formations in the face of the outlet, and all four plugs are aligned along the long axis of the outlet. The Benander device can service up to four attachment plugs, but it is designed primarily to accommodate plugs of the smaller size characteristic of those used in molded plug and cord set assemblies. An important deficiency of the Benander outlet is that it is incapable of accommodating attachment plugs of the threeprong-grounding type.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved multiple convenience outlet. Other objects are to provide such an outlet which is of the grounding type; which will accommodate up to four small size double-prong attachment plugs, or up to two large size, double-prong attachment plugs, or up to two three prong grounding plugs or various combinations thereof; which presents a neat appearance; and which may be housed in a standard outlet box.

The manner in which the foregoing objects are achieved will be more apparent from the following description, the appended claims, and the figures of the attached drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an outlet constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the outlet with the top removed to show the interior construction; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the outlet and cover plate wall mounted about to receive a small size two-prong attachment plug and a three-prong grounding plu-g.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a duplex-type outlet of a size to fit in a standard outlet box wherein each of the two exposed face portions includes four equally spaced parallel slots disposed along a single line and a grounding opening spaced from said line and disposed adjacent the two central slots. The slots are alternately sized to accommodate different size polarized prongs. The electrical contacts associated with alternate slots are commonly connectable to either side of the power supply line. The electrical contacts associated with the grounding openings are commonly grounded.

'With reference to the drawings there is illustrated an outlet embodying the invention having a housing comprising a base member 10 and a top member 12. The base member and top member are each formed of an insulating material and are suitably recessed to enclose therebetween the necessary electrical contacts. The top member 12 includes generally rectangular face portions 16, 16' which are separated from one another by a fiat recessed central portion 18. A generally U-shaped metal mounting strap 14 encircles the base member 10 and has its ends bent outward in the usual fashion to provide means for mounting the outlet. The base member 10 and the top member 12 define a pair of axially aligned openings which are arranged to receive a mounting stud 20. One end of stud 20 protrudes through a matching hole in the mounting strap 14 and is riveted over as at 20a. The other end terminates in a flared flange 20b which fits a similarly shaped recess in the upper surface of top member 12. It will thus be seen that the stud 20 serves as a rivet to secure together the base member, top member and mounting strap. In addition, the end of the stud 20 at 20b is drilled and tapped so as to receive the usual mounting screw used in securing a cover plate to the outlet.

Each of the face portions 16, 16 defines four equally spaced parallel slots denoted by the suffixes a, b, c, d. Each of face portions 16, 16 also includes a lateral extension 22, 22', respectively, which defines a semicircular grounding prong opening 24, 26. Each grounding prong opening is positioned adjacent to and equidistant from its associated two central slots 16b, and/or 16b, 16c, respectively, to form therewith an opening formation for a standard three prong grounding plug.

The internal electrical and mechanical construction of the outlet of this invention will be most apparent from FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. It will be noted that the lower end of base member 10 defines a rectangular recess 28, which is positioned beneath grounding prong opening 26 of top member 12, and a square recess 30 positioned beneath grounding prong opening 24. Grounding contact clips 32, 34 are secured to the mounting strap 14 by means of rivets 36 and extend upwardly through recesses 28', 30 into corresponding cavities formed in top member 12, as shown in FIG. 2. The mounting strap 14 includes a lateral extension 14a which extends around a side of base member 10 and is positioned in a suitable recess formed in the side of the base member. The lateral extension 14a is drilled and tapped to receive a binding screw 38 which comprises a grounding terminal of the outlet to which a grounding wire may be attached.

-Base member 10 is also recessed in one side to provide clearance for a binding screw 40 which is threaded into the exposed portion of a feed bus 42.. The feed bus 42 extends longitudinally of the base member 10 and is soldered or otherwise secured to a first transfer bus 44 and to a second transfer bus 46. The first transfer bus 44 feeds female contacts 48, 50 and the second transfer bus 46 feeds the female contacts 52, 54. The opposite side of the base member 10 is similarly recessed to receive a binding screw 56 which is threaded into the exposed portion of a second feed bus 58. Feed bus '58 is similarly secured to a third transfer bus 60 and a fourth transfer bus 62. The third transfer bus 60 supplies female contacts 64, 6'6

and the fourth transfer bus 62 supplies female contacts 68, 70. The base member 10 is appropriately recessed, as illustrated to accommodate the buses and female contacts.

It will now be apparent that when the receptacle is fully assembled, the female contacts underlying slots 16a, 16c, 16a and 16c are all supplied from the common binding screw 56 which may be connected to one side of the electrical supply line. The female contacts underlying the remaining slots 16b, 16b, 16d and 16d are supplied from a common binding screw 40 which may beconnected to the other side of the electrical supply line. In addition, both grounding openings 24, 26 communicate with grounding contacts 32, 34, which are interconnected and in conductive relationship with the grounding binding screw 38 and the mounting strap 14. It will thus be seen that the adjacent slots of this outlet are connected to opposite sides of the electrical supply line. Accordingly, a standard two prong plug may be inserted into and energized from, any pair of adjacent slots in face portions 16 or 16'. For example, in FIG. a small molded plug 72 is shown positioned for insertion into slots 16a, 16b of an outlet provided with a cover plate 74 retained by a screw 76 which is threaded into the stud 20. The two prongs of plug 72 can be inserted into any adjacent pair of slots. It will be apparent that up to four small size plugs may be simultaneously connected into the multiple outlet of this invention at one time. In addition, it will be noted that the grounding prong openings 24, 26 are positioned to form normal three prong opening formations with the central slots 16b, 16c and 16b, 160', respectively. Thus, in FIG. 5 the-re is also illustrated a three prong grounding cap 78 positioned for insertion into slots 16b, 16c and grounding prong opening 26. It will be apparent that up to two plugs of the three prong grounding type may be inserted into the receptacle of this invention. Also, double prong plugs of the large body type may be mounted in the central pairs of slots. Furthermore, various combinations of plugs may be used simultaneously; for example, four small double prong plugs, or two three prong grounding plugs, or one three prong grounding plug and two small double prong plugs or a large double prong plug or one large double prong plug and two small double prong plugs, or two large double prong plugs.

It is believed that the many advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It should be recognized that many variations and modifications may be made in this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustrative only, rather than limiting. This invention is limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A multiple electrical outlet comprising: a housing ofelectrically insulating material defining a recess therein and including a wall portion defining at least four rectangular slots and at least one grounding opening there-' 4 through communicating with said recess, said slots being substantially aligned and parallel with one another in side by side relationship, the distance between adjacent slots being substantially equal, said grounding opening being displaced from the line of slots and positioned on a line intermediate a central pair of adjacent slots; first'electrical contact means positioned within said recess and in alignment with alternate ones of said slots; second electrical contact means positioned within said recess and in alignment with each of the remaining slots; third electrical contact means positioned within said recess and in alignment with said grounding opening; first connecting means arranged to electrically connect said first contact means to a first electrical supply conductor; second connecting means arranged to electrically connect said second .contact means to a second electrical supply conductor; and third connecting means arranged to connect said third contact means to ground.

2. The outlet of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second connecting 'means comprises: an electrical conductor interconnecting the respective first and second contact means; and terminal means to secure the respective supply conductor thereto.

3. The outlet of claim 2 wherein each of said terminal means is a binding screw terminal.

4. The outlet of claim 1 wherein said outlet includes an electrically conductive mounting strap and wherein said third connecting means electrically interconnects said mounting strap and said third contact means.

5. The outlet of claim 4 wherein said third connecting means includes grounding conductor terminal means.

6. A multiple electrical outlet comprising: a housing of electrically insulating material defining a recess therein and a wall. portion including first and second face portions, each of said face portions defining at least four rectangular slots and at least one grounding opening therethrough communicating with said recess, said slots being substantially aligned and parallel with one another in side by side relationship, the distance between adjacent slots being substantially equal, said grounding opening being displaced from the line of slots and positioned intermediate two adjacent slots; first electrical contact means positioned within said recess and in alignment with alternate ones of said slots in said first face portion; second electrical contact means positioned within said recess and in alignment with each of the remaining slots in said first face portion; first grounding contact means positioned Within said recess and in alignment with the grounding opening in said first face portion; third electrical contact meanspositioned within said recess and in alignment with alternate ones of the slots in said second face portion; fourth electrical contact means positioned within said recess and in alignment with each of the remaining slots in said second face portion; second grounding contact means positioned within said recess and in alignment with the grounding opening in said second face portion; first connecting means arranged to electrically connect both of said first and third contact means to a first electrical supply conductor; second. connecting means arranged to electrically connect both of said second and fourth contact means to a second electrical supply conductor; and third connecting means arranged to connect said first and second grounding contact means to ground.

7. The outlet of claim 6 wherein each of said first and second connecting means comprises: electrical conduc- -tor means interconnecting the respective contact means;

and terminal means positioned to secure the respective supply conductor thereto.

8. The outlet of claim 6 wherein said outlet includes an electrically conductive mounting strap and wherein said third connecting means electrically interconnects said mounting strap and said first and second grounding contact means.

9. The outlet of claim 8 wherein said third connecting means includes grounding conductor terminal means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,087,004 7/1937 Quanstrom 339--21 2,216,765 10/1940 Clayton 339-22 X 2,672,593 3/1954 Shenton 339-14 2,749,381 6/1956 Farish 33914 X 2,899,668 8/1959 Gibben 33921 3,017,601 1/1962 Benander 339-157 3,032,736 5/1962 Howells 339-14 FOREIGN PATENTS 836,564 6/1960 Great Britain.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Examiner. 

1. A MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL OUTLET COMPRISING: A HOUSING OF ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MATERIAL DEFINING A RECESS THEREIN AND INCLUDING A WALL PORTION DEFINING AT LEAST FOUR RECTANGULAR SLOTS AND AT LEAST ONE GROUNDING OPENING THERETHROUGH COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RECESS, SAID SLOTS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED AND PARALLEL WITH ONE ANOTHER IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATIONSHIP, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ADJACENT SLOTS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL, SAID GROUNDING OPENING BEING DISPLACED FROM THE LINE OF SLOTS AND POSITIONED ON A LINE INTERMEDIATE A CENTRAL PAIR OF ADJACENT SLOTS; FIRST ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID RECESS AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH ALTERNATE ONES OF SAID SLOTS; SECOND ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID RECESS AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OF THE REMAINING SLOTS; THIRD ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID RECESS AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID GROUNDING OPENING; FIRST CONNECTING MEANS ARRANGED TO ELECTRICALLY CONNECT SAID FIRST CONTACT MEANS TO A FIRST ELECTRICAL SUPPLY CONDUCTOR; SECOND CONNECTING MEANS ARRANGED TO ELECTRICALLY CONNECT SAID SECOND CONTACT MEANS TO A SECOND ELECTRICAL SUPPLY CONDUCTOR; AND THIRD CONNECTING MEANS ARRANGED TO CONNECT SAID THIRD CONTACT MEANS TO GROUND. 